NASHVILLE, TENN- Members of Tennessee Medical Association’s (TMA) leadership traveled to Washington D.C. last week to attend the American Medical Association’s (AMA) National Advocacy Conference and advocate for Tennessee physicians at the federal level.

TMA continued the fight for reversing recent Medicare payment cuts while in D.C. With further cuts introduced to Congress, physician leaders prioritized speaking with Tennessee’s Congressional delegation on the topic.

“The big ask is to reverse the cut, add a 3.5% increase for Medical Economic Index (MEI) and put a recurring cost of living increase in statute,” said Russ Miller, CEO of TMA. “That seems a bit bold to think that Congress will reverse a cut with all the federal cuts going on. The least we hope for is to repeal the 2.86% cuts now in effect.”

TMA President Landon Combs, MD, Vijaya Appareddy, MD and TMA Past-President Edward Capparelli, MD, pose with Senator Marsha Blackburn during a visit to discuss physicians’ issues, including Medicare cuts.

TMA asked all Representatives to sign HR 879 and for Senators to support or introduce companion legislation. This would help Tennessee physicians feel heard and appreciated, especially on a matter that has been battled for decades. TMA believes the tides could shift in favor of physicians.

“There is a lot of change happening in Washington,” said Miller. “I was pleased that our congressional delegation took time to sit down to listen to our points about Medicare cuts and how that impacts patients and practices.”

The AMA’s National Advocacy Conference offered physician leadership the chance to interact with physicians and staff members from around the nation to discuss national and state priorities, lobby Congress, strategize for the future and network with colleagues.

“Last week was a great opportunity to be able to travel to Washington DC and meet with our legislators to discuss items of concern for our members in Tennessee,” said TMA President Landon Combs, MD. “They were very attentive and interested in the concerns we have, which included Medicare and MIPS. Congress seems positive about being willing to help work on these items to help us to continue to provide care for our patients.”

The highlight of the conference was the presentation of the Outstanding Government Service Award to Tennessee State Sen. Richard Briggs, M.D., a former Board of Trustees member of the TMA and former president of the Knoxville Academy of Medicine. Sen. Briggs’ extensive career includes academic appointments at the University of Texas– San Antonio, the University of Louisville and the University of Tennessee- Knoxville. He now serves as a Tennessee State Senator, a position he has held since first elected in 2014. Sen. Briggs continues to be pivotal in the battle to expand Medicaid coverage in Tennessee. Click here to read the full story from the AMA. 

TMA continues to position itself on the frontlines of advocacy, consistently protecting quality healthcare in Tennessee while learning from colleagues across the nation. All Tennessee physicians are encouraged to take immediate action and contact their representatives to advocate for the passage of HR 879. To learn more about how to take action, visit tnmed.org/actionalerts.

The Tennessee Medical Association is a nonprofit professional organization for Tennessee physicians. TMA represents more than 10,000 Tennessee physicians and physicians-in-training. The organization advocates for public policies, laws and rules that promote healthcare safety and quality for all Tennesseans and improve the nonclinical aspects of practicing medicine. Learn more at tnmed.org.